A/N: Thanks for the reviews. It's totally uplifting.

Disclaimer: I do not own Billy Talent, Harry Potter, or Three Days Grace.

::Chapter Three::

::Talented AND Beautiful::

"So, did you hear that Dumbledore is going mental?" Claire grumbled the next day at breakfast.

"Muggle studies karaoke?" Remus asked.

"No, mandatory talent night. Claire here isn't talented." Sirius paused his eating for a moment to wink at Claire. "Kidding, love."

"I'm in." Evangeline grinned.

"You have to be in, Angel." Gabrielle pointed out.

"Oh, she's talking about something else." James dismissed the thought with a wave of his hand.

"Think he'll let me?" Evangeline asked. As the others were used to such a conversation, they ignored her. James, however, just nodded. Evangeline gave a small smile.

"I'd best get started, then." She chirped, standing and flouncing off in the direction of the Astronomy Tower.

"How long till she realizes we have classes?" Claire grumbled.

"I'd say lunch." Remus stated, standing and collecting his book bag.

"Off to classes we go!" Sirius sang.

Sure enough, at lunch, Evangeline was already sitting at the Gryffindor table, helping herself to a chicken salad sandwich. She actually looked rather sheepish when the inner circle started to laugh at her.

"I win!" Remus chuckled.

"Why are you so surprised? I skip the morning of the first day every year." Evangeline shrugged.

"I know. And every year, you get a week of detention for it." Professor McGonagall had arrived behind Evangeline.

"I know, Professor. Starting tonight, in your office at eight?" Evangeline asked, an innocently sweet smile on her face.

"Of course." McGonagall went up to the head table, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, "That girl…"

"D'you think they know me too well?" Evangeline asked her friends, a tiny smile playing on her lips. She was in a playful mood.

"Just a tad." Gabrielle smiled. "Don't you think it's a bit of a black mark on your record, though?" Gabrielle was ever the studious one. She took it as her responsibility to whip the others into studying.

"No. If these two still have fairly decent records, I should have a fantastic one. I blame them for everything." Evangeline grinned, taking a bite of her sandwich. She loved having these conversations. They made her feel almost normal.

"Eva!" James whined. "I get in enough trouble as it is! I don't need you to add to it!" The truth of the matter was, he didn't care if she blamed him. Over the years, he had come to fancy her.

"Too bad. I've been doing it for five years now." Evangeline smirked. "What can I say? The professors seen to think that I'm just more innocent than you."

The rest of the group groaned inwardly. How could the two of them be so blind? They were so obviously perfect for each other. None of James' girlfriends ever git with him the way Evangeline did. Half the time, he walked out on dates to be with her, and Evangeline always got fed up with her boyfriends because they didn't understand her like James did. In short, they were already in love with each other, they just didn't know it yet.

"Well…fine." James sighed, sulking in his seat and shoving a few spoonfuls of stew in his mouth.

"I win!" Evangeline giggled. "As I always do. And do you know why? It's because, while males have key positions, females control males. Thus, women rule the world."

"And the point of that ramble was…?" Sirius looked up from his (unappetizing) combination of macaroni and cheese and beef stew.

"Why, that I control him, of course." Evangeline blinked in surprise, as though it were quite obvious.

"Of course you do, dear." James grumbled, not noticing (while the others did, of course) that he had used a particular term of endearment. "Seeing as you're a woman, and women rule the world."

"Ha! He learns quickly." Evangeline pretended to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye. "My little Jamie is growing up so fast."

The others had remained silent, as they were used to their Queen dominating conversation with her right hand man. Now she was rambling to herself as they ate hurriedly. It was nearly time for the next class, Transfiguration with McGonagall. Finally, after about five minutes of monologue from Evangeline, Remus interrupted.

"Eva, finish your sandwich." He sighed.

After three long weeks of homework, practice, and (in Evangeline, James, and Sirius' cases) detention, it was finally Talent Night. (A/N: I love talent nights. My characters are always talented.)

"Thank you, everyone. Welcome to Talent Night Oh-Six!" The Head Boy, Frank Longbottom said into the mic. "First up, doing a cover of Billy Talent's 'This Suffering', Sirius Black!"

Sirius bound onto the stage wearing a black shirt that was slightly unbuttoned, a bright red tie that hung loosely around his neck, and tight black pants. Evangeline had styled his hair into a punk shag, and Gabrielle had put thick rings of black eyeliner around his dark grey eyes. A bass guitar was strapped round his neck.

(A/N: Italics Sirius. Bold Remus)

"Like a target drawn across my chest,
She's a bullet in Russian roulette
You said you'd never turn your back on me."
"Rescue me, rescue me."
"Would you stand by me and bury me?"
"Bury me!"
"Why don't we end this lie?
I can't pretend this time
I need a friend to find my broken
Mind before it falls to pieces.
Every time you try to leave me blind
You'll never close my eyes
You'll never close my eyes and watch me die
"And when she spins the bottle round and round
Every time she leaves me gagged and bound
You said you'd never turn your back on me
Rescue me, rescue me.
Would you stand by me and bury me?
Bury me!
Why don't we end this lie?
I can't pretend this time
I need a friend to find my broken
Mind before it falls to pieces.
Every time you try to leave me blind
You'll never close my eyes
You'll never close my eyes and watch me die
Why don't we end this lie?
I can't pretend this time
I need a friend to find my broken
Mind before it falls to pieces.
Every time you try to leave me blind
You'll never close my eyes
You'll never close my eyes and watch me die
Misery won't get the best of me
Cuz now I'm calling, yes I'm calling on your best
Misery won't get the best of me

Cuz now I'm calling, yes I'm calling on your best

You demi-gods have had enough
Why don't we end this lie?
I can't pretend this time
I need a friend to find my broken
Mind before it falls to pieces.
Every time you try to leave me blind
You'll never close my eyes
You'll never close my eyes and watch me die
End this lie, I can't pretend this time
I need a friend to find my broken
Mind before it falls to pieces
Every time you try to leave me blind
You'll never close my eyes
You'll never close my eyes and watch me die."

Sirius grinned and hopped off the stage. After several performers (including and ill-fated juggler whose act involved tea cup poodles), Evangeline took the stage.

She was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans and a white tank top with the word "Demon child" splashed across it in red. Her black eyeliner was thick and purposely smudged, her hair carefully mussed, and bright red lipstick completed her look.

(A/N: ItalicsEvangeline)

"If you feel
So empty
So used up
So let down
If you feel
So angry
So ripped off
So stepped on
You're not the
Only one
Refusing
To back down
You're not the
Only one
So get out
Let's start a riot
A riot
Let's start a riot
Let's start a riot
A riot
If you feel
So filthy
So dirty
So fucked up
If you feel
So walked on
So painful
So pissed off
You're not the
Only one
Refusing
to back down
You're not the
Only one
So get out
Let's start a riot
A riot
Let's start a riot
Let's start a riot
A riot

If you feel
So empty
So used up
So let down
If you feel
So angry
Just get out!
Let's start a riot
A riot
Let's start a riot
Let's start a riot
A riot
Let's start a riot
A riot
Let's start a riot
Let's start a riot
A riot…"

Immediately after Evangeline was James. He wore an outfit similar to Sirius', only his shirt was deep purple and his tie orange. He also had boycotted the eyeliner, keeping his glasses. His hazel eyes sought Eva's emerald ones, and when they met, it was almost as though electricity was running through both their bodies.

(A/N: UnderlinedJames)

"This world will never be
What I expected

And if I don't belong

Who would have guessed it

I will not leave alone

Everything that I own

To make you feel like it's not too late

It's never too late

Even if I say

It'll be alright

Still I hear you say

You want to end your life

Now and again we try

To just stay alive

Maybe we'll turn it around

'Cause it's not too late

It's never too late

No one will ever see

This side reflected

And if there's something wrong

Who would have guessed it

And I have left alone

Everything that I own

To make you feel like

It's not too late

It's never too late

Even if I say

It'll be alright

Still I hear you say

You want to end your life

Now and again we try

To just stay alive

Maybe we'll turn it around

'Cause it's not too late

It's never too late

The world we knew

Won't come back

The time we've lost

Can't get back

The life we had

Won't be ours again

This world will never be

What I expected

And if I don't belong

Even if I say
It'll be alright

Still I hear you say

You want to end your life

Now and again we try

To just stay alive

Maybe we'll turn it around

'Cause it's not too late

It's never too late

Maybe we'll turn it around

'Cause it's not too late

It's never too late (It's never too late)

It's not too late

It's never too late."

Evangeline almost cried during this performance. She felt almost as though he was speaking directly to her…as though he knew. She was glad that she didn't burst into tears, as she was on again after James.

Once on stage again, Evangeline cleared her throat.

(A/N: Again, italicsEva)

"On the ground I lay

Motionless in pain

I can see my life flashing before my eyes

Dead I fall asleep

Is this all a dream

Wake me up, I'm living a nightmare

I will not die (I will not die)

I will survive

I will not die, I'll wait here for you

I feel alive, when you're beside me

I will not die, I'll wait here for you

In my time of dying

On this bed I lay

Losing everything

I can see my life passing me by

Was it all too much

Or just not enough

Wake me up, I'm living a nightmare

I will not die (I will not die)

I will survive

I will not die, I'll wait here for you

I feel alive, when you're beside me

I will not die, I'll wait here for you

In my time of dying

I will not die, I'll wait here for you

I feel alive, when you're beside me

I will not die, I'll wait here for you

In my time of dying

I will not die, I'll wait here for you

I will not die, when you're beside me

I will not die, I'll wait here for you

In my time of dying"
It was her response to his silent offer of help. After Evangeline, six more contestants performed. Gabrielle and Claire were involved in a ballroom dancing display, along with Remus and Frank Longbottom. In all, it was a good night of entertainment. But Evangeline was glad to return to her dorm and softly sob herself to sleep after carefully retracing the word 'PAIN' on her wrist with her blade.